Female/nonbreeding male

Breeding male

Breeding male

Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush

Identification

Distinctive, small, short-tailed thrush-like bird. Males are strikingly beautiful with bright blue-gray head, white back patch, and chestnut underparts. Females are reddish-brown and have a scaly appearance, with a tail pattern similar to males. Breeds on rocky mountain slopes and alpine meadows, usually above 1,500 m (5,000 ft). Usually shy but may be obvious when delivering its melodic Eurasian Blackbird-like song in flight.